You don’t have to decorate your egg cartons, but I used paints to make mine look more like a beehive. Use any kind of paint - even spray paint if you have some - to decorate your beehive. Also feel free to experiment, you can also decoupage photos or put papier-mâché over the outside. This craft project is fun, let your imagination run freely. 😊

Start with your printed sheet.

Step 3. Color in your bees and the interior of your beehive.

I like adding glitter fingernail polish for a shimmering ‘pollen’ effect.

Color your pages in any way that makes you happy!

Step 4. Here I am cutting out hexagon hive holes to show a sneak peek into the hive’s interior. Please be careful. Adult supervision with sharp scissors advised. You can cut as few or as many holes as you’d like. Or skip this step altogether.

Your interior art will show through the holes you cut out as shown.

Step 5. Cut out your bees and hive pieces.

Step 6. Glue your bee medallions back to back so you will have a bee showing in all directions when your finished hive is hung.

Step 7. Paint your egg carton.

More painting.

Step 8. Decorate your beehive any way you like! Here I used a Sharpie to draw in honeycomb shapes. Note the hole punched in the bottom left cell. I will be pushing a coffee stirrer through that.

Step 9. This is optional. I added coffee stirrers to give more space to hang my flying bees.

Step 10. Here I punched a small hole through the top of the egg carton to thread the fishing line through. The fishing line will be used to hang the mobile.

Step 11. View from the inside, I’ve tied a washer to the end of the line to keep the line firmly in place while hanging.

Step 12. Now do the same thing to the other end of the fishing line.

Step 13. I’ve glued some of my bees to the hive.

Step 14. Now you’ll want to add your bees. Here I am sewing thread through the bottom of the egg carton.

Step 15. And then I sewed the thread to the bee medallion.

Step 16. Don’t forget to add your interior hive art inside the carton, to show through your holes. Alternatively, you could simply cut out the hive pieces and glue them to the outside.

The finished beehive mobile! 🐝💕

Visit www.achoowhypollencounts.com and click on the blog page to find more easy craft projects. Feel free to add those previous craft project insects to your mobile! Also check out free coloring pages while you are on the website. 🐝🤗💕

March 14, 2020

Today I’m Challenging my fellow authors and illustrators to add their books to Little Free Libraries while their local libraries and schools are closed for the Coronavirus19 outbreak. Let’s get great books into the hands of kids! Here I’ve added 15 brand new books; 12 of the books I’ve illustrated, and 3 copies of the book I wrote and illustrated, Achoo! Why Pollen Counts, to the Little Free Library in Natick Center, in Massachusetts. The library across the street in Natick is closed indefinitely. Children will find some award-winning books, and three very popular books written by Jerry Pallotta! Watch the video to see all the books I added today.

February 27, 2020

Pure joy! Tears ran down my face today when Ryan sent this photo from Luxor, Egypt. Tears of joy, seeing the girls’ smile at receiving a copy of Once Upon an Elephant, translated into Arabic. Thank you, Ryan, for helping me donate the books. You can read about this award-winning book from Arbordale here.

February 20, 2020

Following on the joy I received donating my Portuguese books to a school in Brazil, I’m now using my royalties to buy Arabic books for Egyptians. With a little assist from my son, Ryan, some have already made their way to Cairo. Here he is reading to the Sphinx. Ryan’s comment, “I read your book to the Sphinx. Learning experience for the Sphinx as he only knows hieroglyphics.”

I’m still Challenging authors and illustrators out there to buy books with your royalties and donate them to children who can use them! #PayItForward

February 09, 2020

Her and her husband own a restaurant my husband and I visit often. Pablah and Mac both come from Brazil. One day they hung this poster:

Both hot chocolate specials are delicious, but I especially like the s’mores one. 😋

So each visit I reflect on the poster and it occurred to me, I have Arbordale picture books that have been translated into Portuguese. I’m going to use my royalty money to buy Portuguese books for the children at this school. (Currently the children are having their classes outside while the building is being built.)

Soooo I took my royalties and bought 40 Portuguese picture books. Yesterday I donated them. Here’s a short video:

I’m working on a longer video, and will post a link when it’s done. Until then, here’s my Challenge video. Fellow children’s authors and illustrators, join me in getting books to children and schools who have none. I know all of you are not in a position to do this, but for those who can, I challenge you to take your royalties and use them to get vital books to these schools. Further details follow in the video.

To donate, email Pablah @ pfchwres @ Gmail dot com. And thank you from both of us! ❤️

December 11, 2019

I’ve been waiting to share this art! I was a guest artist for Geeks Who Drink. I was assigned to illustrate eight cities with animals in their name - more or less. Last night my art was the visual round for all the quizzes across the country, hundreds of them. My son, Ryan, is a quiz master at the Hong Kong in Harvard Square. As we would say in Boston, this was wicked pissaah! Check out Ryan’s roundup of last night’s events here.

Can you solve these?

BTW, check out my handmade jewelry shop, HeartGlimmers, on Etsy. Perfect for your holiday gift giving. And for all the young ones in your life, find my children’s picture books on Amazon here. I’m currently illustrating book 31, there’s over 2 million copies of my books out there!

July 18, 2019

I want to leave a post here saying hello to anyone who finds me through GWD! My usual gig is illustrating children’s picture books (or writing them!). I’m currently working on my 31st. You can find most of them searching my name here on Amazon. I’ve illustrated a wide assortment of subjects; from realistic non-fiction to whimsical fiction, I’ve created something for just about any family. If you have little kids in your life please check them out. Books make awesome gifts.

Achoo! Why Pollen Counts has been translated, it is now available in Portuguese, German, Tejas Star Award-winning Spanish, and English! Children’s books are the perfect tool for learning new languages. Purchase your copy of any of these at Arbordale.

January 06, 2019

Achoo! Why PollenCounts has been translated into German! I am so excited, my Pennsylvania Dutch Mom was solid German, née Zimmerman, she passed in ‘89, but I’m certain from Heaven she is proud of my accomplishments.

Currently the book is available as an interactive Arbordale ebook - it reads to you, and you can click on the animal characters to hear the sounds they make! You can purchase here: Achoo!

May 22, 2018

Step-by-step-step instructions to make your own pollen snow globe, brought to you by Achoo! Why Pollen Counts, and Shennen Bersani. There are two versions, one very inexpensive and easy, the other a bit more complicated using more supplies. Either way you can use repurposed used containers. Just wash them out and they are ready to go!

Here are the supplies I used. You can get very elaborate, or very simple. I’ve used some little animals to create a forest environment.

I selected plastic and silk flowers to create a forest in the jar. In one of my snow globes I used green felt for the grass. In another globe I used this fancy ‘fairy’ grass.

After you have your supplies you will want to color in your airborne critters. Get as fancy and creative as you’d like!

I painted a coat of gold glitter fingernail polish on mine to give them a shimmering effect.

Now cut out your critters.

Glue them back to back. When they sway they will show from any direction.

Once the glue dries sew a short piece of string to each one.

Use a piece of duct, or other strong tape, to attach the string to the underneath of the lid.

Add glitter!

Screw on the lid and shake! Don’t add water, pollen floats in the AIR. This globe was made using a used jelly jar. This is an inexpensive and easy pollen snow globe. You might want to glue the lid in place so little tykes don’t open and spill onto your rug!

Now I’m going to make a couple more advanced globes. Repurpose used containers. Here I’m cutting a piece of felt to use as grass.

I’m adding glue, I am wearing gloves to keep my hands clean. You can also use a hot glue gun.

I’ve glued down the felt, added fake flowers, and now I’m adding the glitter.

Secure the lid and enjoy! Once you are finished have fun shaking and playing with your globes!

If you enjoyed this craft check out my Night Creepers firefly craft here. Print out both coloring sheets and mix & match to create your own unique projects, just like Heather and Ivy did! Love their craft!

Scroll down for my interview with LitPick. Check out their fabulous video review!

Achoo! Why Pollen Counts has received two 5 star reviews from student reviewers at LitPick. This earns the book their highest honor, the LitPick Top Choice Book Review Award! Wow, I am so honored and excited! Here are the two reviews:

Achoo! Why Pollen Counts by Shennen Bersani is about a baby bear who comes out of his den in the spring, sneezing so much that he wishes pollen didn’t exist. When he meets up with his mom, she cleans him up and explains how important pollen is. Then he wanders around and meets all sorts of critters who explain why pollen is important to them too.

It’s a cute story with catchy language that is easy to understand and educational at the same time. It even has a “For Creative Minds” section at the end that has interesting information about allergies, pollination, and bees. A couple of activities about flower parts and pollinators make learning fun, and anyone can read more about allergies, pollen, insects, and bears if they look up resources listed in the bibliography that is included. The very best part of this book is its beautiful artwork. Happy pictures with bright colors and a swirling effect that mimics pollen in the air practically jump off every page.

Opinion: Achoo!Why Pollen Counts is written for children ages 5-8, but I can’t imagine who wouldn’t love this book (no matter how old they are)! It is a fantastic multi-purpose book that is perfect for anyone who enjoys nature or wants to know more about pollen. The artwork is detailed enough that young children can picture walk themselves through the basic story. Parents can help their children learn the names of specific creatures that they may not have seen before or do not know yet. Anyone could use it as a guide to help others understand allergy symptoms better, what pollen is, and how it’s used in nature. The more I read this book and looked at its pictures, the more detail I saw and the more I learned. It was like taking a real nature walk outdoors and finding something new to explore with every next step.

hawkreader10Age at time of review - 13 Reviewer's Location - Corning, New York, United States View hawkreader10's profile​Achoo! Baby Bear is allergic to pollen. And he gets covered in it as soon as he wakes up from his long winter hibernation! As he struggles to get rid of the sticky yellow dust covering his fur, Baby Bear decides he does NOT like pollen. He even says that he wishes pollen didn't exist. But as his other animal friends wake up, Baby bear learns that pollen does a lot more than just make him sneeze. In fact, many other animals and insects rely on pollen. His friends Sandy Spiderling, Zoe Zebra Butterfly, and some honey bee larvae even eat it! Will Baby Bear be able to use all his new knowledge to make the best of this “sticky” situation?

Opinion: At first, pollen might seem like a strange subject for a children’s book, but in Achoo! Why Pollen Counts by Shennen Bersani, the curious young reader will learn many interesting facts about pollen right along with Baby Bear. The easy to follow storyline and colorful pictures will engage young readers and help them learn about pollen in a fun way. Parents who are reading with their children will probably learn a lot, too.

Bersani packs a lot of scientific information into her story, while still keeping it at a level that young children can understand. Additional information and activity pages in the back of the book offer an opportunity for children to apply their new knowledge.

I would recommend this book for children three to seven years old to enjoy with their parents. Kids with allergies will be able to identify with Baby Bear and maybe see a brighter side to pollen.

My SIX MINUTE AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH LitPick

SIX MINUTES WITH SHENNEN BERSANI: Joining LitPick for Six Minutes with an Author is Shennen Bersani, author and illustrator of almost 30 books. Her book, Achoo! Why Pollen Counts, is perfect with spring right around the corner. One of our student reviewers gave it 5 out of 5 stars, saying, “It is a fantastic multi-purpose book that is perfect for anyone who enjoys nature or wants to know more about pollen.” -----***How did you get started writing?When I was very young, my parents sang songs to me. By the time I reached fourth grade, I was writing my own songs, composing them, and singing along with my guitar. As I grew older, I took creative writing classes and expanded my writing into stories. I always dreamed of being an author.***Who influenced you?My mother was my biggest influence. She encouraged me to keep journals. I filled my journals with poems, songs, stories, and drawings.***Do you have a favorite book/subject/character/setting?I am very fond of earth science, nature, and animals. I don’t have a particular favorite book, I simply love learning new things! I gobble up any books I can find on animals and their habitats. ***What advice do you have for someone who wants to be an author?Read, write, edit.Read as much as you possibly can. By reading the works of others, you get an understanding of what makes a successful poem, song, or story.Take a notebook along with you; you can keep one handy in your backpack. When rhymes, poems, or story ideas come to you just jot them down. Read your entries over at the end of the day. Add descriptions, including how you felt at the time, if you were happy, sad, tired, hungry; was it cold, hot, sunny, dark, or raining? Expand on these notes to write poems, stories, plays, books. Then comes the edits. This is the hardest part but most important. It is natural to feel your first draft is fabulous and couldn’t possibly be improved! You struggled over your words, selecting just the ‘right’ ones - and it took so darn long for Pete’s sake! There is no way you will want to change anything, it will kill you to do so! Wrong, and I’ll prove it. Set your first draft aside for a few days, a week, or a month... then reread it out loud to yourself. Time has a way of changing our perspective. You will now chuckle at yourself and find all sorts of words or sentences you will want to change and correct. Oops, there you missed a period, and there’s a misspelled word. I simply can’t stress how important edits are to improve your writing. I just wrote this answer over a dozen times. ***Where is your favorite place to write?I love sitting alone near my aquarium, surrounded by plants and photos of my family. I have this set up in my studio where I also illustrate books. I write out my research notes and my story arcs freehand on sheets of paper first, then type them up on my computer where I edit, edit, edit.

***What else would you like to tell us?Don’t ever get discouraged! Follow your dreams wherever they take you. I have piles of unpublished stories. The more books you read, the more you write, the better your writing becomes. Also research as much as possible. I crisscross the country doing research and asking people I meet countless questions. I try to learn as much as I can about a subject before I write about it. -----Thanks for joining us, Shennen. We love how your parents began by igniting this passion inside of you that you continued to fan into flame. Your advice about placing a first draft to the side is very helpful, and we know it will benefit many students and other writers. We look forward to your next book featuring natural elements.

Author and teacher Kate Narita has complied a list of Must Haves for teachers, andAchoo! Why Pollen Counts made her list! Check out Achoo! and her complete list here.And don't miss all the free Teaching Activities and Quizzes​on Arbordale's Achoo! Why Pollen Countspage.

May 16, 2018

It’s spring in Boston, but I’m looking forward to September. I’m excited to announce Cheetah Dreams, written by Linda Stanek and published by Arbordale, will be released. It’s my 14th Arbordale book - and I promise the art will knock your socks off! Check out its Arbordale page

Linda and I also brought you the 10th Children’s Choice Award-winning Once Upon an Elephant, and also Night Creepers! Check them all out over at www.arbordalepublishing.com.

Also HUGE news for Once Upon an Elephant! The book was selected for Choose to Read Ohio 2019 & 2020. Read about it here.

I traveled far from my Boston home to the shores of Oahu to do research for my illustrations. Here's a bit about this amazing book:

Hawaiian locals and visitors always enjoy spotting endangered Hawaiian monk seals, but Honey Girl is an extra special case. She has raised seven pups, and scientists call her “Super Mom.” After Honey Girl is injured by a fishhook, she gets very sick. Scientists and veterinarians work to save Honey Girl so she can be released back to the ocean. This true story will have readers captivated to learn more about this endangered species.

Isn't this fantastic! WoW!! I can spy characters from over a dozen of my books! Words can't express my love for this! My heartfelt thanks to Mrs. O'Brien for creating this display.

Plus the snakes and bugs at breakfast and lunch! Double cool!!

But this was just the beginning. Morning meet and greet with teachers, luncheon with students, a thousand fabulous questions, and two over an hour long presentations... it was an amazing day sharing my knowledge, speaking about writing, illustrating, book creation, pollen... and so much more. An enormous thank you to Mrs. Storaska for organizing the event, and to Vice Principal Ms. Ryder for introducing me. The entire staff at Berea are amazing!

May 10, 2017

Voting for the 10th Children's Choice Book Awards has officially come to an end. Winners will be announced May 31 in NYC. We are all rooting for, and wishing good luck to Once Upon an Elephant. I'm pleased to report this amazing book is also a finalist in this year's 2017 Ohioana Book Awards Juvenile Literature Awards, and the 2017-2018 Keystone to Reading Book Awards, Primary Level. Thank you Librarians and teachers of Ohio and Pennsylvania for this honor.

Update, Once Upon an Elephant has also been selected as a finalist in the 2017-2018 Delaware Diamonds Award. Thank you Delaware!

March 03, 2017

HUGE NEWS! Once Upon an Elephant, is a FINALIST in the 10th CHILDREN"S CHOICE BOOK AWARDS. Please consider voting for it! HERE. Voting continues everyday until May 7, 2017. Please share and spread the word!

I cannot tell you how much I loved illustrating Once Upon an Elephant. I have always been fascinated with elephants, my mother bought me replica elephants when I was a little girl - I played safari in our grassy yard. Through my illustrations, I wanted to take the reader on a little journey of Africa, I wanted little children's fingers to touch the animals on the pages and pretend they are on their own safari. I believe through Linda Stanek's words and my art that goal has been accomplished. Check out the book, feel the sun baked Earth, smell the grass, hear the elephants trumpet. Read about how essential elephants are to their environment. Let me know what you think. Check the book out over at Arbordale

February 20, 2017

Hawaiian locals and visitors always enjoy spotting endangered Hawaiian monk seals, but Honey Girl is an extra special case. She has raised seven pups, and scientists call her “Super Mom.” After Honey Girl is injured by a fishhook, she gets very sick. Scientists and veterinarians work to save Honey Girl so she can be released back to the ocean. This true story will have readers captivated to learn more about this endangered species.

To research the book's illustrations, I flew from Boston to Oahu to visit the habitats of Honey Girl. I met with monk seal volunteers and workers who shared their stories of R5AY (aka Honey Girl) and monk seals. My heartfelt thanks goes out to Donna Festa (Lanikai General Store owner) who spent a few days helping me track down monk seals, Diane Gabriel (guide to Honey Girl's beach habitats) who brought me to all of Honey Girl's favorite beaches, Dana Jones (helped Honey Girl during rehab) who shared with me her first hand experiences with Honey Girl, and D. B. Dunlap (The Seal Whisperer) who showed me the hidden world of monk seals on Rabbit Island. I also visited Deb Wickham on the Big Island (Ke Kai Ola Hospital for Monk Seals at Kailua-Kona) who knew just where to find a beached seal. My Hawaiian highlight was visiting the Mt. Kilauea active volcano on the Big Island and climbing over lava formations to reach a beach and observe a seal at sunset.

The Ke Kai Ola Hospital for Monk Seals at Kailua-Kona is run by The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. This is the amazing hospital that cared for Astro: The Steller Sea Lion, also written by Jeanne Walker Harvey. Jeanne is a dear friend of mine, and I was very fortunate to meet up with her in California on my way home from Hawaii. No trip would be complete without our stopping by The Marine Mammal Center for a visit! My special thanks to you, Jeanne!

A Case of Sense is a Kansas NEA Reading Circle Catalog Selection for 2017 and a Monarch Award Nominee.

While Ming plays outside one summer day, the smell of delicious food fills the air. It is coming from greedy Fu Wang’s house. “What is he up to?” wonders Ming. To his alarm, Fu Wang demands that all the neighbors pay him for the pleasant smells. When the neighbors refuse, the case goes to court. How will the judge rule in this unusual case and will justice be served? Can Fu Wang make money from the neighbors’ sense of smell? A wise judge makes use of another sense to close the case with clever and convincing logic.

I've been a wee bit busy illustrating my next Arbordale book, Night Creepers, written by Linda Stanek. Look for Night Creepers to be released later this year in the fall.

If you would like me to send you a limited edition Achoo! Why Pollen Counts postcard, email me your name and address at sbersani(at)mac(dot)com. I'll be happy to send one out to you - while this batch lasts.

Or check out many more of my books from other publishers on Amazon here. I'm illustrating my 27th picture book, so there are a lot to choose from. You can also scroll through this blog's archives and read more about past releases.

Wayland resident, Shennen Bersani is a children’s book author and illustrator. Her illustrated books have sold over two million copies worldwide. Shennen’s featured work includes colored pencil art; portraits of her children and original moth illustrations for children’s book, Not a Butterfly Alphabet Book, written by Jerry Pallotta and illustrated by Shennen Bersani.

Donna Berger is one of 3 artists-in residence at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts where she creates portrait and nature paintings, illustrations and graphic design.On display is her series of 13 paintings which tell the story of Bluebell, a Costa hummingbird who lived at the Franklin Park Zoo.

Take advantage of this special opportunity to discover how these creative ladies use their illustrative talents to enhance the words of special stories.

June 25, 2016

I have two new Limited Edition 2016 postcards inspired by Achoo! Why Pollen Counts. I am sending them out to people who send me a photo of themselves reading/holding the book. Check out some of the Reader Photos here: www.achoowhypollencounts.com/photos-of-readers.html I LOVE these!!

Zimbabwe is home to elephants. These children are neighbors to these majestic, endangered animals. The elephants' future is in the hands of these kids. Seeing photos of Once Upon an Elephant in Zimbabwe was very impactful for me.

This is what keeps me illustrating. Opening the minds and hearts of others, one person at a time. Teaching, entertaining, enriching, captivating the reader of the book. Making an impact with my work.

May 04, 2016

Wonderful News! Achoo! Why Pollen Counts was selected as a Foreword Reviews' 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Finalist in Picture Books - and YOU can help it win the READER'S CHOICE AWARD by leaving #INDIEFABFAVE in the Comments here: https://indiefab.forewordreviews.com/books/achoo-why-pollen-counts/You will need to use Facebook or your Foreword Reviews account for the vote to count.

BONUS: I will send an autographed copy of Achoo! Why Pollen Counts to a randomly selected commenter.

March 24, 2016

This big surprise envelope arrived today - filled with hundreds of thank yous from the students at the Pell Elementary in Newport, RI. As part of 2016 March into Reading on March 4&5, I did two school visits at the Pell Elementary and one at Melville Elementary in Portsmouth, RI. A humongous thank you to librarian Stacey Lyon for sending these to me. :-)

The children were simply fabulous - I had a wonderful two days on Aquidneck Island. In its 13th year, the March into Reading program is amazing.

These illustrations are AMAZING and the students' comments are PRICELESS. The kids mention their favorite "Shennen Bersani" book, and pretty much all of my books got a mention. :)

by Jennifer Keats Curtis and J. Adam Frederick, illustrated by Shennen Bersani (Arbordale, $17.95) 978-1-62855-5561-1 Father and daughter scientists discover the habitat of salamanders throughout their life cycle. Photographs and lively, detailed drawings. (6–9)

Foreword Reviews' 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Finalist

Foreword Reviews Announces Finalists for 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards

Traverse City, MI, March 7, 2016—Foreword Reviews, a media company devoted to reviewing books from small, independent publishers and university presses, is pleased to announce the finalists for its 18th annual INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards.

Each year, Foreword Reviews shines a light on a select group of indie publishers, university presses, and self-published authors whose work stands out from the crowd. In the next three months, a panel of more than 130 volunteer librarians and booksellers will determine the winners in 66 categories based on their experience with readers and patrons.

“The 2015 INDIEFAB finalist selection process is as inspiring as it is rigorous,” said Victoria Sutherland, publisher of Foreword Reviews. “The strength of this list of finalists is further proof that small, independent publishers are taking their rightful place as the new driving force of the entire publishing industry.”

Foreword Reviews will celebrate the winners during a program at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida in June. We will also name the Editor’s Choice Prize 2015 for Fiction, Nonfiction and Foreword Reviews’ 2015 INDIEFAB Publisher of the Year Award during the presentation.

Visit www.achoowhypollencounts.com for lots of free coloring pages and photos from around the world of pollen, bees, and plants - and more! Lots of information to help children discover pollen and pollination.

FINALLY I also want to mention I was a recent Guest Post on the fabulous Elizabeth Dulemba's Blog. Learn more about me and check out my interview here. Thank you Elizabeth for allowing me to share with your readers.

for introducing countless more children to the wonders of pollen and the pollination process. The book can be purchased on Amazon here:

Achiss! La Importancia del polen, Receives Spanish Book Award

The Tejas Star Award committee has selected Achiss! by Shennen Bersani for their annual reading list. This is the debut picture book both authored and illustrated by Shennen Bersani, and the first award for a Spanish edition of an Arbordale Book.

The story begins with Baby Bear waking up to a cloud of pollen after hibernation. After a sneezy start Baby Bear ends up learning why pollen is good for everyone, even a bear, from his forest friends. The realistic, yet adorable illustrations are in Bersani's signature style and help kids understand why pollen is so important.

Published by the Texas Library Association each year, the Tejas Star Reading List is intended to, "encourage children ages 5-12 to explore multicultural books and to discover the cognitive and economic benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism." For more information on the award click here.

Other Achoo! Why Pollen Counts news.

A new review from Alissa Apel was posted last week. You can read it here.

A new blog interview with Karlin Gray was posted this week. You can read it here.

Tomorrow and Saturday I will be participating in March Into Reading. Check out all the details here.

Tags:
I am thrilled to announce Achoo!'s Spanish translation, was selected for the 2016-2017 Tejas Star Reading List! My heartfelt thank you goes out to the Tejas Star Reading List Task Force and the Texas Library Association for introducing countless more children to the wonders of pollen and the pollination process., ¡Achíss! La importancia del pollen

"A picture book teaching children about pollen, the pollination process, and bees. The story follows a baby bear who is allergic to pollen. He learns how pollen is used by other insects and animals such as spiders, butterflies, honey bees, hummingbirds, and more. This book can be added as an extension for lessons about flowers and pollination to help students see additional benefits and uses of pollen."

Wonderful news for both books! Children in classrooms across the country will be learning and discovering new lessons on such important topics as pollen, the pollination process, bees, symbiotic relationships, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.

Both of these books are published by Arbordale. You can check their website for ten of my books, or find even more of my books on Amazon.

One more thing I want to share! I received these marvelous bears and butterflies in the mail from Reagan (5) and Elijah (3). They are so precious I have hung them in my studio! Thank you so much for thinking of me. I will cherish them. :)

January 25, 2016

My newest illustrated book, Once Upon an Elephant, written by Linda Stanek and published by Arbordale, is now available. You might like to check it out over at Arbordale, or on Amazon.

Here is what one Amazon reviewer had to say:

"Once Upon an Elephant is a beautiful look at the way these large, lumbering creatures affect all of the other creatures in the great Savannah. Told through gentle repetitive phrasing and soft expansive illustrations, you can feel the slow movement of the elephants as they shape the world around them. Elephants are able to adapt the world every day with their tusks, their trunks, their footprints and even their dung. The impact that they make and the animals they help, so wonderfully described throughout the book, are in great danger as elephants grow closer to extinction. A powerful message and elegant book about these great animals."

To properly illustrate these majestic animals I visited the three lovely African ladies, Alice, Ginny, and Kate, at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island. I also stopped by the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, to help round out my hometown "African Safari". There visitors can see a lion, while both zoos bring a piece of Africa to New Englanders by having zebras, giraffes, wild birds, plus many other species. Both zoos are a lovely day field trip for both young and old.

Here are some coloring pages to go along with the book.

And a peek inside the book:

Art copyright Shennen Bersani, 2016.

Hope you check Once Upon an Elephant out for yourself. Let me know if you are interested in reviewing a copy.

January 14, 2016

The year 2016 has ushered in changes. I'll be stepping out of my comfort zone, doing a lot of traveling over the next few months. Meeting new people, breaking misconceptions. Over time I'll be blogging about my travels. As an author, I'm taking notes, researching, fleshing out new books. Strap your seatbelt on, I'm taking you on my journey!

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore," Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz. Okay, it wasn't Kansas I left behind, it was freezing cold - snow on the ground - Boston, MA. And it was JetBlue that deposited me safely to my destination - not a raging tornado. Never the less, my heart was pounding like young Dorothy's. I had never been to Orlando, FL. Cheery blossoming flowers, swaying palm trees, fields of green grass greeted me… it felt surreal, it felt like I'd landed in Oz.

Our second day, Friday January 8, we took a bus to tour Buckhead Beef, a meat processing plant. I should start by saying what I had expected to see. As a young child back in the '60s my mother shopped at the local grocery store, First National. The front of the store had canned and boxed groceries, the rear was a glass wall. This glass wall was a fishbowl, of sorts, peering into the world of the stained white lab coated butcher. Dead cows hung from hooks, the butcher chopped and packaged the meat, I in awe would stare transfixed from the other side. More amazing to me was how my mother transformed all these marbled pink and red pieces into our sumputous Sunday dinners. Rather archaic and bloody was the butcher in the fishbowl. That is what I had expected to see at Buckhead Beef. Boy, was I in for a surprise. Buckhead Beef is a large facility, Florida's #1 purveyor of Certified Angus branded products. No glassed in walls, just doors to hold in the very cold temperatures. Hair netted and clean lab coated, we basically walked into an enormous refrigerator/freezer. The chilly temperatures keep the meat fresh. Some of my fellow authors donned offered jackets to wear under our lab coats, I having just come from FREEZING COLD BOSTON went in sans jacket. Just giving you some tactile imagery here - honestly we were also wearing gloves and we not allowed to touch anything. But in the freezer section the cold did bite into the skin a bit. Nothing different than the city I flew out of, only in Florida one doesn't expect to shiver.

Once inside, I did not see bloody butchers with huge butcher knives. I didn't see blood, I saw raw meat and very hardworking employees - some on the floor for 19-20 years. The building was immaculate and clean. Workers had cutting knives like you might see a fine chef using. They wore safety gloves to protect their hands from cuts. These men and women were amazing at their jobs, trimming, cutting, preparing, packaging Angus beef for Buckhead's clients. State of the art machinery measured fat content in ground beef, conveyor belts has scales built into them, weighing pieces as they passed by. X-ray machines looked for foreign objects. This plant was amazing. The food that leaves its doors is top notch. I feel honored to have toured the facility.

After lunch our bus brought us to our next destination, Country Oaks Angus Ranch. Here we were greeted by the Freel family. Bill and Megan Freel, and their family, daughters Erin and Molly, son-in-laws, and granddaughters Reagan, 9, and Riley, 14. We had already met Erin, she was part of our overall group as she videotaped our author experience. (She is an amazing woman who really inspired me, but I'll save that for a later blog post.) Bill Freel, D.V.M., is a large animal veterinarian. The photos above are Angus cows and calves from his 200 acre ranch.

Here I need to explain the different names for cattle. Though this gets more detailed, basically a COW is a female who has had a CALF. A CALF is a baby, regardless of sex. A HEIFER is a female who hasn't had a calf, yet. A neutered male is a STEER. An un-neutered male is a BULL.

Molly Rowe, her husband, and daughters live in the adjoining property with cattle of their own. A hayride brought us authors easily through both properties, stopping at both while the Freels/Rowes answered all our questions. These people live on their farm and work it, everyday of the year. One quote we were told was, "The cows don't know it's Christmas." Gift opening took a backseat to morning routines of feeding cattle. Everything we saw, heard and experienced was grand, but the highlight of our farm visit was meeting Riley and Reagan. These young girls were amazing. Highly intelligent, caring and committed, the future of farming in America is bright with youth such as these two girls. They raise show animals for 4-H and were proud to share them with us. For each animal they keep records, describing the animal, keeping track of expenses, depreciation of equipment - these bound folders were organized and put together comparable to a college thesis. These girls were truly amazing, and I'm proud to have met them.

Our third day, Saturday, January 9, 2016. This was the day we had lunch with a farmer. I happened to be the fortunate author who had two farmers. Honestly, I feel I was blessed. The first one I met was Emily Edmondson from Virginia. Emily quickly broke a couple misconceptions - first she was a woman farmer, and second she introduced herself as an Episcopal Priest. Emily had brought along Norm Hyde from the Farm Bureau of Virginia. Norm was there to share a video of Emily's farm, and to document the author event with photography. Okay, so I'm from Boston - the land of Red Sox baseball caps. My other farmer had me grin from ear to ear when he introduced himself. Wearing a marvelous cowboy hat was Jim Strickland from Southern Florida. Here's where I was blessed. My fellow authors had one-on-one lunches with a farmer. I had two - from very different locations. Emily's ranch is seated in the rolling green mountains of Virginia, down near Tennessee. She has her share of cold, snowy days. Her farm sustains itself by growing grass in the summer, mowed and gathered in the fall, and fed to her cattle in the winter. Jim's farm is down in Southern Florida - his cattle don't know snow. They graze alongside his orange trees and honeybees. Wildflower honey. I'm told the best kind there is! Where the Freel ranch has 200 acres in central Florida, Jim has 20,000 acres at the bottom of the state. My brain was quickly trying to visualize and compare. Each farmer I met had similarities, and differences. They all have to work hard 365 days a year tending to their cattle. But they all faced different challenges in their day to day ranching.

Farming is not an easy life one takes. Many of the farmers come from a long line of farmer families. Fourth and even fifth generations. All the farmers I met were highly educated, hard working, compassionate people. They care about each and every animal they raise. They raise healthy, strong animals. They grieve if one dies. These farmers want to raise the best, healthiest food possible. They don't just raise it for slaughter and send it off, they consume it and feed it to their families. They take pride in feeding America, and even exporting to the world. By 2050 the world population is expected to increase to 9 billion people. We are asking our farmers to keep feeding us the highest quality food, all while their farmland is diminishing. Farmers are the Original Environmentalists. They need to take extremely good care of their land so it can sustain their crops, their cattle, their families. I was humbled to have met with the Freels, Rowes, Emily Edmondson, and Jim Strickland.

Us authors started our fourth day, Sunday, January 10, 2016, with an early (farmers' time) breakfast at the Convention Center. This was part of the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show. Fifteen hundred farmers were in attendance. Here, while those 1,500 people ate flapjacks, the twelve of us were introduced onstage. Farmers from Massachusetts later found me and introduced themselves. I'll be mentioning them in a later blog post. Really, though, the highlight of the morning was introducing the American Farm Bureau Book of the Year. Each farmer was given a copy. Fellow author, and now friend, Susan Grigsby was the author of the book, First Peas to the Table. The serendipitous thing about her book was it was illustrated by Nicole Tadgell - Nicole lives in Massachusetts and I've known her for years. We used to meet at the same critique group. Upon arriving home, I was delighted to tell Nicole about the award.

I leave this post coming back to how I started my journey - being the author of Achoo! Why Pollen Counts. Pollen is that smallest of male gamete which spreads, fertilizes, and starts all plant life. Plants to feed humans and animals. No matter how much it makes us sneeze, or covers our cars, or annoys us, it's what gives us food in crops, shelter from trees, honey from bees - and snow! http://www.noaa.gov/features/02_monitoring/snowflakes_2013.html Thank you for reading this post, come back later as I continue my 2016 author/illustrator researching and adventures.

Also for the month of January prints from illustrated pages of my books are on display at Wayland Home and Design, 70 Andrew Ave, Wayland, MA. The Gallery Opening will take place on Sunday, January 24, 2016, at 5 PM. All are invited. This month's free Story Times at the store are scheduled for 11 AM on Saturdays, January 16 and 23rd. Come join me! Free popcorn.

Later this week I am headed to Orlando, Florida, to meet with eleven other children's authors as we visit farms, meet and talk to farmers. http://www.agfoundation.org/news/authors-selected-to-take-part-in-on-the-farm-experience http://beefproducer.com/story-afbf-takes-childrens-authors-cattle-farms-10-135239 I look forward to blogging about my experience.

I got right into my research for these illustrations! The Blue-spotted salamanders come out of their winter hibernation to mate in vernal pools in the middle of a rainy night, March to early April (dependent on the weather conditions each year). Searching night after night - I finally caught them! I drove to Bolton, Massachusetts, where they crossed the road in droves at midnight - in the cold rain. A number of passionate volunteers tried slowing down cars to keep them from being run over in the dark. (Amazed me how many vehicles were out so late on an out-of-the-way back road!) The species is of Special Concern in Massachusetts - here is a great document with all the facts http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dfg/nhesp/species-and-conservation/nhfacts/ambystoma-laterale.pdf

I don't want to give away the interview on my blog, I'd like you to click the link and read it for yourself. But I will answer a question I've been asked. What is up with that photo of me? In the interview I mention I do a lot of research for my books. In that photo (in the interview) I am at the Monterey Bay Aquarium behind the exhibit halls in one of the kitchens where food for the sea creatures is prepared. Here I am holding a squid that will be fed to one of the animals. I was researching all things slimy for the book Sea Slime: It's Eeuwy, Gooey and Under the Sea, written by Dr. Ellen Prager, Arbordale Publishing. Sea Slime: It's Eeuwy, Gooey and Under the Sea has been well received in the state of Florida. I will update what is happening in a future blog post. All very exciting! Also, check out new pollen photos and book reviews over at www.achoowhypollencounts.com.

* Ashley Lucas {aka Lady Lucas} also likes to make things and draw things daily. You can find her latest illustrative work – such as adorable adult coloring books, in her Etsy store or follow her on social media @LadyLucasArt. Her monthly newsletter offers free artwork & craft ideas perfect for parents, teachers and creatives.

September 14, 2015

I lived in Brockton, MA, for many years, and long before the internet was available I would visit the library to do research for my illustrations. This past week I gave a presentation at the Brockton Public Library, and children's librarian Sharon Quint and I reminisced over a serendipitous moment from my past.

The year was 2005 and I was researching snakes for Snakes: Long, Longer, Longest, written by Jerry Pallotta and Van Wallach, Scholastic, in the children's room. Sandwiched between the aisles I was hidden as I poured over the difference between a pit viper and a boa. The library being quiet, I easily overheard a young mother speaking to her toddler. "Which book would you like me to read to you, the icky bug one or the race car?"

My antenna clicked in. Which book would the child choose? Which icky bug book was she referring to? Jerry had written numerous icky bug books - one of which, Icky Bug Shapes, Scholastic, was illustrated by me. Of course, the Children's Room is filled with thousands of books, the chances of the mother referring to my book were what, well….. pretty slim.

"ICKY BUG SHAPES! I want you to read ICKY BUG SHAPES!" I heard from across the room. What? What were the chances???? Heart thumping, I went over to the pair and introduced myself, asking if I could do the honor of reading my book to the child.

I have had a Serendipitous Career as a children's book illustrator and now author. My story has been included in a new book of serendipitous stories gathered together by author Madonna Dries Christensen titled simply SERENDIPITY. I hope you will consider buying a copy, 100% of the royalties go to the Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virgina.

The anthology has 45 contributors and /71 stories/poems. Here is my contribution:

A Serendipitous Career

Shennen Bersani

I was illustrating a Second Grade reader, Androcles and the Lion, for McGraw-Hill. My son, Ryan, was a senior at Boston College High School, studying Latin and Ancient Greek—the perfect model for my Androcles.

One day when I picked him up at the train station after school, he hopped into the car and exclaimed that he had gotten me a job. He told me that BC High alumnus and children’s book author, Jerry Pallotta, had visited school that day and spoken about his career. During his talk, Jerry mentioned that he was looking for an illustrator who could draw a lion.

Unbeknownst to me, Ryan was so proud of my work that he had taken my full-color brochures to school and used them as bookmarks in his textbooks.

After Pallotta finished speaking, Ryan approached the author and handed him one of my brochures, adding, “You should hire my mother.”

Jerry looked over my work and asked if I was busy. Ryan said, “Not after she finishes illustrating Androcles and the Lion,” with emphasis on the word lion.

Two weeks later, I was illustrating my first trade book, Icky Bug Shapes, written by Jerry Pallotta.

Always wanting to be an author and not just an illustrator, a couple of years later I submitted a manuscript with accompanying illustrations to a South Carolina publisher. The editor responded that the manuscript wasn’t a good fit for her publishing house, but she loved my illustration style. Could I mail out my portfolio? Eager to connect, I packaged my artwork and drove to the post office.

I had no sooner pulled into the parking lot when my cell phone rang. The caller introduced herself as an editor of a newly-formed publishing house, Pleasant St. Press. She explained she had found my work on a British website, but wasn’t it coincidental that we happened to be located only a few towns apart in Massachusetts! As we chatted, it got weirder—we had both grown up in Weymouth and attended the same high school, Weymouth North. I was a few years older than Jean and had graduated before she entered. Two ships passing in the dark.

“I love your art on the website!” she said. “Especially your rendition of children. The little girl in the green dress is precious! I feel you would be the perfect fit for a book I'm publishing. Let me tell you about the book. The author is Writer’s Digest’s Contest Grand Prize winner, Nancy Tupper Ling. The book is based on an actual family, about two sisters, from the perspective of the older one, on what it is like to be the big sister of a girl with Down syndrome.”

Shaking and gasping, I managed, “You couldn't have known. I have one younger sister, and she has Down syndrome!”

The editor expressed shock at still another coincidence. She couldn't wait to tell the book’s author of the coincidence.

I said that I would want to meet the actual girls, and I would need to think about the assignment. I knew it would be an emotionally challenging book to illustrate. Shaken, I neglected to write down the caller’s contact information.

A few weeks passed and Mother’s Day came along. Ryan came home to visit, and as he always does, asked what I was working on. I was illustrating a new Scholastic book for Jerry Pallotta, and as I showed Ryan my illustrations I related the phone conversation I’d had with a new editor.

Visibly excited, Ryan said, “This book was made for you to illustrate! You’ve got to illustrate it Mom! And just think, since they’re the same age, Aunt Holly would have attended Weymouth North with the editor!”

That realization caught my breath. My sister has my maiden name; no one would necessarily connect us. I told Ryan that I didn’t have the editor’s contact information—so many calls had come in on my cell the past few weeks my phone no longer showed it. But Ryan was completely confident this was going to happen.

Amazingly, within days the editor called me. “Do you remember, we spoke on the phone a few weeks ago about your illustrating a book?"

Did I remember? “Yes,” I stammered, and explained that I’d lost her phone number. We caught up; I explained that I’m my sister’s legal guardian. I love her to pieces. I grew up babysitting her every day after school while my parents worked. The two of us are yin and yang. We then arranged for me to meet Alicia and Rachel, the subjects of the book I was to illustrate.

When I met Alicia and Rachel, I saw Holly and my relationship mirrored in theirs. I was twelve again. I fell in love with the two of them. When I saw their mother, I saw Mom, when she was alive, giving her all to her girls. The whole scene, the memory, gave me goosebumps.

While I illustrated the pages of My Sister, Alicia May, the author’s words echoed my memories of growing up with Holly. Tears ran down my cheeks and fell on the artwork. The day I finished illustrating the book I added the cover image to the British website where I had been discovered by the publisher of this book.

Within an hour my phone rang. The caller said, “I'm publishing a series of books on a sensitive topic and I love what you’ve done with the girl with Down syndrome. Would you be interested in illustrating books for the American Cancer Society?”

Cancer hadn’t touched my family or my life, but I felt sympathetic with the people it had, I felt I could bring emotion to the subject. The first book I worked on for the Cancer Society, Let My Colors Out, written by Courtney Filigenzi, was a board book for young children. The protagonist’s mother was being treated for cancer and he showed his changing emotions with different colors. He had “blue” sad days, or “yellow” happy days. Each color of the rainbow was significant to the child.

Shortly after I signed onto the project, a delivery truck rear ended me at a red light. The accident injured both my hands, stopping my work while I recovered. Every day, I cursed that accident.

However, initially, the hospital performed an MRI to check for neck and spine damage. The report came back, “We see a large nodule on your thyroid.”

With research, I found that approximately 1.1 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with thyroid cancer at some point during their lifetime. The odds were in my favor the nodule would be benign.

But while I illustrated Let My Colors Out, I learned that mine was malignant. I watched as my four children’s emotions mirrored the book’s protagonist’s to a tee. I had a thyroidectomy and have become a survivor.

Remarkably, my next book was Nana, What’s Cancer?, written by cancer survivor, Beverlye Hyman Fead with her granddaughter, Tessa Mae Hamermesh. I flew to Los Angeles to meet the two. Beverlye’s tenacity for life was contagious. Every day I thank God for the car accident that saved my life! I had noticed no sign of having cancer, but without that MRI it most likely wouldn’t have been found in time.

A year after my surgery, I posted on my blog that it was my one year anniversary of being cancer free. The editor from South Carolina, to whom I had sent my artwork portfolio two years earlier—the same day the other book editor had called me, read the post and e-mailed me congratulations on my health. She asked if I was interested in illustrating a book about a dog with cancer. I didn’t illustrate that book, but eventually illustrated many books for Arbordale Publishing, as well as more for Scholastic, Charlesbridge, and others.

Last year I submitted a manuscript to Arbordale, which they loved; a perfect fit. Now I’m the author and illustrator of Achoo! Why Pollen Counts, a book about pollen, pollen allergies, and pollination, with Baby Bear and his forest friends and a caring Mother explaining why pollen is critical to us all.

A children's author and illustrator, I am currently illustrating my 26th children's picture book, while doing research for number 27. Most, but not all of the titles, can be purchased on Amazon. My books have sold over two million copies world-wide and have won many awards along the way. Passionate about our environment, please visit www.achoowhypollencounts.com to learn more about the importance of pollen, pollinators, bees, and more.

May 08, 2015

Historic conditions in Chicago! New Jersey is washed over, New York is under siege, how are YOU fairing this year's POLLEN TSUNAMI? Well, do I have the PERFECT book to teach your children about POLLEN and why it is important. No, it is nothing to sneeze at! It is important to the pollination process and our environment.

In Achoo! Why Pollen Counts Baby Bear has an allergy problem. He's allergic to pollen and wishes it was GONE! But with help from Momma Bear and his forest friends he learns the importance of pollen to the forest - and himself. Maybe pollen isn't so bad after all!

Visit the book's official website: www.achoowhypollencounts.com to learn more about the book, a lot more about pollen, see gorgeous photos of pollen from around the world, download free coloring pages - and more!

April 02, 2015

My first authored book, Achoo! Why Pollen Counts, written and illustrated by me, Shennen Bersani, is being released later this month from Arbordale Publishing. Pollen and bees are in the air in these illustrations from the book. Learn more about the book, and pollen, at the book's website www.achoowhypollencounts.com. Preorder the book on Amazon in English or in Spanish.

March 20, 2015

I am so excited for the release of Achoo! Why Pollen Counts next month! I have a new website just for the book. Here you will learn more about the book, the importance of pollen, and the pollination process.

Do you know how a snowflake is formed?

Do you know which butterflies eat pollen?

Did you know there are spiders who eat pollen as a source of protein?

Why is pollen so important to us and the earth? How do pollinators help us?

Pollen is SO much more than an allergen. SO MUCH more than sticky yellow dust!

While you are there take a look at all the Arbordale Publishing books I've illustrated. Every Arbordale book has these terrific free resources - perfect for teachers, homeschoolers, or those extra inquisitive kids who can't learn enough about a subject and always want to know more!

March 17, 2015

All my new books have been arriving! 2015 marks a very special year in my illustration career - the release of five new books AND my first authored book. The first four have arrived, and next month - April - will herald in the release of Achoo! Why Pollen CountsWritten and Illustrated by me, Shennen Bersani, Arbordale Publishing.

"Spring has arrived and pollen is in the air. Baby Bear does not like the pollen—it sticks to his fur and makes him itchy and sneezy. He’s allergic! Achoo! He just wishes the pollen were gone. But when his friends gather to tell him why they need pollen, Baby Bear learns that pollen is good for the forest and provides food for many animals, including him!"

January 07, 2015

January 2015 is finally upon us and all of my 2014's illustrating is about to take sprout. I'll have LOTS to share over the next few months. Fantastic children's picture books filled with fun facts about pollen, uncommon animals, and the natural world around us. Here's what's in store for the New Year.

June 20, 2013

I'm excited to be posting for this week's The Next Big Thing Blog Tour. This chain letter, of sorts, started over in Australia, and it's surfed its way to me - in Boston. I was tagged by one of my favorite illustrators, Cathy Morrison, who last week told us about her upcoming Dino Tracks! Boy those guys look mighty terrific, don't they?

I said surfed its way to me 'cause here comes Shark Baby, surfing in now!!

What is the working title of your new book?

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I'm the illustrator of Shark Baby, so we would have to ask the author, Ann Downer, where she got her idea for the story. But I can tell you I jumped at the chance to illustrate a baby shark book! I've illustrated a number of ocean books with sharks in them as well as adult sharks in Sharks: Big, Bigger, Biggest, Scholastic 2005. In Shark Baby, the anthropomorphic story of a baby shark learning his place in the world excited me! OH the places he and I would go together!

What genre does your book fall under?

Shark Baby is a children's picture book. I'd hate to give an age limit to it, I'd like to say it's for all who are young at heart.

Which actors would you choose to play in your movie rendition?

Oh, my, it might be a stretch for him since he's not a shark, but I'd have to cast Nemo. I think Dory might pass as one of the seahorses.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

A new to be born shark, curious of his existence, finds out who he really is.

We would have to ask Ann Downer how long it took her to write her first draft, but I can tell you how long it took for me to do the illustrations. After reading the manuscript, the first thought I had was - I need to visit the kelp forest! My second thought was - wouldn't it be awesome to go swim with a manatee, like Shark Baby does! So I flew to Crystal River, Florida and swam with manatee; and then I crossed the country and experienced the kelp forest first hand at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, drove up to San Fransisco where I examined horn shark egg cases at the California Academy of Science and finally got really close to an adult swell shark at the Aquarium of the Bay. These were all exciting adventures! I came home to Boston and then sketched away! It took a couple months to do all of this.

What other books would you compare this story to within your own genre?

One of my most cherished childhood books, Are You My Mother?, comes to mind.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Our last question for Ann, but I can say my deep love of the ocean and all its inhabitants inspired my illustrations.

What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?

Mother Ocean carries Shark Baby through various ocean habitats where he encounters a variety of sea creatures. Young children will connect with his feelings and emotions as he searches to find himself. I think the illustrations are just awesome and kids will simply love them! And as a bonus, they can travel underwater and not get wet. :-)

As a little tease for next year, I've already gone back to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to do research for Sea Slime: It's Eeuwy, Gooey, and Under the Sea, written by Ellen Prager, Sylvan Dell Publishing 2014.

Now it's time for me to tag two more people! Next week I'm tagging Ann Downer! Ann has two books releasing this year and she'll be telling us about her fall release, Wild Animal Neighbors: Sharing Our Urban World. I love the cover and I can't wait to learn more about the book.

Pavilion of the States (Saturday only)

The Pavilion of the States, sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, salutes the literary traditions of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories. A brochure available in this pavilion, called “Discover Great Places Through Reading,” offers a list of 52 great reads. Many of these books will be for sale in the Book Sales Pavilion.

Celebrate the Book with Two Days of Writers, Poets & Pavilions

Come to the 12th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are honorary chairs for the event. The festival is free and open to the public. Festival poster by Rafael López.

This year's festival will feature authors, poets and illustrators in several pavilions, including two Sunday-only pavilions: Science Fiction, Fantasy & Graphic Novels and Special Presentations. Festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite poets and authors, get books signed, hear special entertainment, have photos taken with storybook characters and participate in a variety of activities.